De veiligheidsschakelaar die verder
gaat dan klasse 1

Image 1: The location of emergency showers and eye washes
must be clearly indicated and well lit

When it comes to implementing new LED lighting concepts, more and more emphasis is placed on production facilities and devices that need to be illuminated in a specific way. To do this, it can be essential to limit the wavelength of the light emitted by the LEDs to a specifically chosen spectral range, depending on the semiconductor material used and the doping. For use in the pharmaceutical industry and photo development, where a high proportion of blue light can have a negative effect on the quality of products, R. STAHL therefore offers a range of LED tubular light fittings with a light colour that has been shifted towards yellow, for instance. Safety equipment that must be clearly identifiable by its colour also involves specific needs. Lighting using coloured LEDs makes this possible without having to overcome any of the disadvantages associated with conventional colour changing solutions, such as using films or conversion filters to tint the light. This is particularly beneficial, for instance, to indicate the location of emergency showers and eye wash stations in laboratories, industrial facilities and production sites: Specific requirements here state that these stations must be identified by green lighting and signs.

Clear signals at all times

Until now, eye wash stations have typically been set apart from the rest of the facility through the use of classic linear luminaires with coloured fluorescent lamps. However, this solution has a number of drawbacks, not least the fact that the brightness of the lights decreases over their service life. Additionally, as the dye used to colour the filter paint will peel off over time, the actual purpose of the light – to identify the station – is no longer fulfilled. As technical first aid equipment, emergency showers must be quick and easy to find at all times so that staff have immediate access to rinsing and flushing facilities in the event of severe burns, chemical burns or embedded splinters or foreign objects. As per DGUV Information 213-850 (previously BGI/GUV-I 850-0) on safe work in laboratories, employers must implement all necessary measures to prevent accidents at work, occupational illnesses and work-related health hazards, as well as to guarantee effective first aid. If a risk assessment deems the installation of body showers and eye washes to be necessary, these stations must be positioned so that they can be reached within five seconds from anywhere in the laboratory. As a result, every effort must be made to ensure that the location of these stations can be identified at a glance, so that none of this valuable time is lost due to unclear signage.

Robust series

Based on the LED linear luminaires in the EXLUX 6002 series, the explosion protection specialist R. STAHL has developed a new version of this equipment that provides striking lighting to ensure that emergency showers and eye washes stand out, both indoors and outdoors. EXLUX light fittings designed for general lighting are ideal for this purpose thanks to their incredibly long-lasting, low-maintenance, robust design. With a service life of up to 100,000 hours, they are designed for fail-safe long-term use. The slim, flat GRP housing for the devices, which are manufactured to comply with IP66/67 degree of protection, is impact resistant to IK10. Weighing just 4.3 kg for the 700 mm-long model and 6.6 kg for the 1310 mm-long version, they are significantly more lightweight and easy to handle than other products available on the market. They can be mounted on ceilings or installed as pendant or pole mounted light fittings. With power consumption values of 22 W or 42 W, they are extremely economical, even for long-term use. The products, which are manufactured to “increased safety” (Ex e) type of protection, are certified for use around the world in explosion protection zones 1 and 21, and are capable of withstanding temperatures between -40 °C and +60 °C. The standard version of these luminaires consistently achieve high luminous efficacy, with 132 lm/W up to 154 lm/ with- or without a diffuser.

Green lights all the way

With the luminaire versions designed by R. STAHL in accordance with their users’ needs profile, customers can now make use of an innovative, incredibly reliable lighting solution for emergency showers and eye washes. Thanks to their robust, explosion protected and temperature-resistant structure, these special lights are suitable for industrial use all over the world, even in harsh ambient conditions. In use, the light source performs two functions at once – as well as clearly identifying the safety equipment, it also provides general lighting for the surrounding area. For this purpose, the luminaire features both the specially doped LEDs that generate a green light that is visible at a distance and white light LEDs that are integrated in the middle part of the light fitting. These provide basic lighting to ensure that the station is easily identifiable from a distance, even in the dark, and ensure that users can see well at the station itself. With this solution, which is unique on the market, R. STAHL has strengthened its distinguished position as a technological leader in modern industrial lighting technology with extensive expertise that ranges from a comprehensive lighting design range to the production of an exceptionally varied range of series products, all the way to the development of application-specific light fittings.

A range of additional special solutions

The range of special lighting concepts that R. STAHL have already implemented for specific areas of application is not limited to coloured lighting for emergency stations, including green lighting to mark eye wash stations and blue lighting to indicate the location of fire extinguishers. Their range also includes light fields that can be connected and disconnected as required to provide individual markings in industrial plants. These can be used for a range of purposes, including visually separating process stages and directing staff in the right direction in the event of an incident requiring evacuation. In cases like these, the “fade effect” is particularly useful. The markings can, upon request, be designed so that they are completely invisible until they are needed and switched on. LED lighting technology has a number of technical advantages that not only mean that they are significantly more efficient – they also enable users to avoid light pollution. This makes a much greater contribution to protecting the environment than anything that has been possible up to now. By planning lighting designs in detail, adjusting the radiation angle so that it is ideal for the intended purpose while minimising the amount of upward light that is generated, any disturbance of the animals and plants in the surrounding area can be mitigated to a significant extent. Specifically designed for offshore use, R. STAHL offers special light fittings with a light spectrum that has been shifted towards yellow in order to prevent sea turtles from being attracted to the lighting.

In short

LED technology is opening new doors when it comes to the development of long-lasting, efficient lighting solutions, even for unique applications. As an expert in industrial lighting systems, R. STAHL is at the forefront of this development trend in a number of sectors. With their innovative lighting versions for signal lighting and general lighting at emergency shower and eye wash stations, this manufacturer has designed a customer-specific solution, thereby meeting a need that customers have been voicing for some time. The concept, which has been implemented through the use of linear luminaires in this case, can be carried over in a similar form to other series, such as the extremely tough tubular light fittings in the 6036 series. Generally speaking, experienced manufacturers of today are capable of using a range of special LED light fittings to fulfil a wide range of specific industrial lighting requirements – not to mention delivering solutions that are both functionally and economically advantageous compared to conventional systems.